Hitching-strap.



No. 663,573. Patented Dec. ll, I900. F. A. JACOBSEN.

HITGHING STRAP.

(Application file-1 Feb. 16, 1900.]

(No Model.)

m: NORRIS przns CELPHOTO-LITHO, WASHINGTON, u. c

*rnrns UNrrn Furor...

HlTCHlNG-STRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,573, dated December 11, 1900.

Application filed February 16, 1900. Serial No. 5,508. (No model.)

To ctZZ whmn it ntcty concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERIK AUGUST J A- COBSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Austin, in the county of Travis and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Hitching-Strap,'of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hitching-straps, and has for one object to provide an improved device of this character which is constructed for convenient application to and removal from a hitching-post, and is particularly designed to snugly embrace a smooth post, so as not to slip down to the ground, and also arranged to prevent accidental disengagement of the device by a movement of the animal. It is furthermore designed to provide an improved slidable catch which is provided with means for adjustably securing the catch to the strap, so as to be in proper position for engagement with the usual hook at one end of the strap for the purpose of forming a loop to embrace the hitching-post.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings,and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the application of a hitchingstrap constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a detail longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 isa detail perspective view of the slidable body of the catch.

Corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings are designated by like characters of reference.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the hitching-strap, which may be of leather or rope, as desired, and provided at one end with any suitable hookas, for instance, a snap-hook 2.

Slidable longitudinally upon the strap is an adjustable catch 3 for engagement with the snap-hook to form a loop 4 for engagement with a hitching-post 5.

By reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings it will be seen that the body of the sl-idable catch is formed from a single piece, which is bent longitudinally into a hollow body or frame 6, at one end of which is a laterally-inclined and forwardly-extended ear 7, having a central perforation or opening 8 to form an eye or link for engagement with the snaphook, as shown in Fig. 1. At the opposite end of the catch the side of the body is cut away and bent outwardly into the opposite bearing ears or flanges 9, which are upon the same side as the link or eye 7 and are provided with the corresponding perforations 10.

Extending longitudinally of the inner side of the body is a clamping-jaw 11, which has its outer extremity located between the bearing-ears, so as to bind against the strap through the cut-away portion of the body. At each edge of the jaw is a lateral lug 12, which has a bearing in the perforation of the adjacent bearing-ear, so as to fulcrum the jaw intermediate of its ends. Secured to the under side of the inner extremity of the jaw is a leaf-spring 13, which has its forward free end 14: bowed, so as to frictionally ride upon the body of the catch, and thereby normally force the outer end of the jaw into the space between the bearing-ears to bind upon the strap.

In the application of the device the strap is inserted through the hollow body of the catch with the link end extending toward the hook, so as to be engaged therewith to form a loop, as indicated in Fig. 1. By pressing inwardly upon the spring-jaw 11 the outer end may be freed from engagement with the strap, so that the catch may be adjusted longitudinally of the strap to accommodatethe device to the size of the post to which the hitching-strap is to be applied. 7

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that after the looped portion of the strap has been engaged with the post the catch is held against accidental outward movement upon the strap by means of the spring-jaw, and therefore the loop cannot become loosened by a movement of the animal. Thus the loop is maintained at the original point of application, and there is no danger of the strap becoming disengaged from the post. When it is desired to remove the strap from the post, the spring-jaw is pressed inwardly, so as to release the strap, and the catch maybe slipped outwardly upon the strap, so as to loosen the loop, which may then be taken from the post, or the hook may be disengaged from the catch, as desired. Moreover, the harder the animal pulls upon the strap the tighter the loop will be drawn about the post, as the strap can slip outwardly through the catch.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a hitching-strap, having a hook at one end thereof, of a slidable catch for engagement with the hook, and comprising a hollow body slidable upon the strap, and having a link or eye at its inner end for engagement with the hook, and a spring-actuated jaw fulcrumed intermediate of its opposite ends upon the body, the outer end of the jaw being arranged in frictional engagement with the strap, and the opposite inner end portion extending longitudinally of the adjacent side of the body.

2. As an article of manufacture, a slidable catch for a hitching-strap, comprising a hollow body folded from a single blank of material, and having opposite open ends, one end of one longitudinal side thereof being extended beyond the body and provided with a perforation to form a link or eye, the opposite end of the same side being cut away to form an opening, and the opposite sides of the cutaway portion being bent outwardly to form bearing-ears, and a bowed spring-actuated jaw fulcrumed intermediate of its ends upon the bearing-ears, the outer end of the jaw working in the opening formed by the outwardly-bent ears, and the opposite end portion of the jaw extending longitudinally of the adjacent side of the body.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERIK AUGUST JACOBSEN.

Witnesses:

O. H. PHILIPPI, R. H. WILLIS. 

